Squeeze mop

ABSTRACT

Squeeze mop, including a bearing body that is formed by a double joint and two squeeze plates that are arranged on either side of the double joint in the longitudinal direction of the bearing body and that are joined thereto, and a handle, the bearing body having on the side that faces axially away from the handle a mopping pad that is largely the size of the bearing body and the squeeze plates being pressable against one another by means of a wringing device, the wringing device being fork-shaped and embodied open on the side facing axially away from the handle and including two pressure arms that are arranged largely parallel to one another and that for folding the squeeze plates can be caused to engage with the squeeze plates about the double joint, the wringing device being joined to the handle and the handle being pivotably joined to the double joint, at least about the longitudinal axis of the bearing body, the wringing device having an actuating rod that is axially movable toward the handle and that is joined at one end face to the double joint and at the other end face to a pivotable grip that is attached location-fast to the handle for actuating the wringing device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a squeeze mop, including a bearing body that isformed by a double joint and two squeeze plates that are arranged oneither side of the double joint in the longitudinal direction of thebearing body and that are joined thereto, and a handle, the bearing bodyhaving on the side that faces axially away from the handle a mopping padthat is largely the size of the bearing body and the squeeze platesbeing pressable against one another by means of a wringing device, thewringing device being fork-shaped and embodied open on the side facingaxially away from the handle and including two pressure arms that arearranged largely parallel to one another and that for folding thesqueeze plates can be caused to engage with the squeeze plates about thedouble joint, the wringing device being joined to the handle and thehandle being pivotably joined to the double joint, at least about thelongitudinal axis of the bearing body.

PRIOR ART

Such a squeeze mop is known from EP 1 208 788 B1. The known squeeze mopis provided for cleaning planar surfaces, the handle being pivotablyattached to the double joint. On the handle a sliding sleeve is movablyaxially borne toward the handle, the known squeeze mop having guidedevices on the squeeze plates and/or in the pressure arms for foldingthe squeeze plates in a defined manner by means of the pressure arms.Using the cardanic movability of the double joint relative to the handleit is also possible to clean well in the main mopping direction, evenunder low furniture.

The sliding sleeve constitutes a gripping part, a sliding region havinga guide slot, and the fork-shaped molded pressure arms. However, whenactuating the sliding sleeve it should be noted that overall largeforces must be applied in order to press the squeeze plates against oneanother and thereby to wring out the mopping pad. The stiffer thematerial that comprises the mopping pad, the higher the forces to beapplied. It is significantly more difficult to use the aforesaid squeezemop, and no longer satisfactory, in particular when the gripping part ofthe sliding sleeve is wet and therefore dripping.

Known from DE-AS 1 293 983 is a cleaning device having a cleaning tool,such as for instance a sponge, that is attached to a holder, and adevice for wringing out the cleaning tool. The device comprises afork-shaped roller holder that is joined to a device handle and that hastwo parallel rows of rollers, and furthermore comprises an actuating rodthat is displaceable toward the device handle by means of a grip on thedevice handle and that receives the roller holder on its lower end. Theactuating rod pulls the cleaning tool between the rollers duringwringing. The cleaning tool is in particular formed by a sponge that hasa curved surface of more than 180°. The device handle and the cleaningtool are joined to one another rigidly, that is, they are not angularlydisplaceable; the device handle is not angularly displaceable relativeto the cleaning tool. Such a rigid configuration is not verysatisfactory, in particular for a cleaning tool that has a flat moppingsurface, for instance a mopping pad that is used in squeeze mops, ratherthan a curved mopping surface, because optimum cleaning of the planarsurface to be cleaned is not possible unless the flat mopping pad ispositioned flat on the surface. When using a cleaning device the user ishardly in a position to ensure this optimum configuration when therelationship of handle to cleaning tool is rigid. In such cleaningdevices, even minor changes in the angular position of the handlerelative to the surface to be cleaned cause disadvantageous usageproperties and have a negative impact on cleaning results.

DEPICTION OF THE INVENTION

The underlying object of the invention is to further develop a squeezemop of the aforesaid type such that the wringing device is simpler tooperate, that is, can be operated with less exertion of force, and suchthat therefore the risk of injury to the user is reduced, even when theuser has wet hands and/or the squeeze mop is wet and dripping.

This object is inventively attained using the features of claim 1.Subordinate claims reference advantageous embodiments.

For attaining the object it is provided that the wringing device has anactuating rod that is axially movable toward the handle and that isjoined at one end face to the double joint and at the other end face toa pivotable grip that is attached location-fast to the handle foractuating the wringing device. It is advantageous that the wringingdevice can be actuated particularly easily and safely. For pressing thesqueeze plates against one another, which squeeze plates can be coveredwith a common mopping pad or can each be provided with a mopping pad,the user holds the handle in one hand and the other hand of the usergrasps the grip. The grip can be embodied either as a knob or preferablyin a ring shape. Then the grip is pivoted toward the upper end of thehandle, it being advantageous that the grip is attached relatively fixedon the handle. This simplifies handling because undesired relativemovements in the axial direction between the grip and the handle areavoided. Even when the grip and/or the hand of the user is/are wet anddripping the squeeze mop can be wrung out safely without the risk thatthe user's hand will slip from the grip, possibly causing injury to theuser.

The combination described in patent claim 1, which combination is ahandle that is pivotably joined to the double joint at least about thelongitudinal axis of the bearing body in order to be able for instanceto also clean with no problem flat surfaces and under low furniture in aFIG. 8 and a pivotable grip attached location-fast to the handle foractuating the wringing device are not found in the known prior art; thesqueeze mop is simple and safe to use and it cleans well, even in areasthat are difficult to access.

It is preferably provided that the actuating rod runs largely in thehandle. This protects the actuating rod from external influences so thatundesired deformations of the actuating rod are prevented and thus anyresulting negative impact on usage properties of the wringing device isprevented. In addition, the handle therefore does not have anunnecessary number of parts that project therefrom that can catch on andpossibly injure the user.

Further improved usage properties in terms of squeeze mop cleaningperformance can be attained in that the handle is joined to the doublejoint in a cardanically movable manner. This further simplifies handlingof the squeeze mop for cleaning e.g. areas under furniture that aredifficult to access.

The squeeze plates can each be joined to the double joint by means of aspring and can be pressable against one another against the spring forceof the springs when the wringing device is actuated.

The springs can be embodied as hairpin springs and attached to thedouble joint such that after the wringing process the springs cause notonly a plane-parallel orientation of the squeeze plates that werepressed against one another relative to the surface to be cleaned. Sucha spring force-supported automatic plane-parallel orientation of thesqueeze plates relative to the surface to be cleaned is particularlyadvantageous when a mopping pad is used that has only a small restoringforce toward flatness after the wringing process. Without the assistanceof the spring force the squeeze plates would still form an angle to oneanother after the wringing process and would not be positionedplane-parallel to the surface to be cleaned until the user placed thesqueeze mop onto the surface to be cleaned.

After the wringing process, the springs can also cause the squeezeplates to be oriented with respect to the handle such that it ispossible to immediately continue to mop the surface to be cleaned. Forinstance, due to the spring force, the squeeze plates can automaticallybe oriented tilted at a 20 to 30° angle relative to the verticalarrangement of the handle. The squeeze mop the springs actadvantageously upon the usage properties while the mop is being used, aswell. The springs damp the movement of the handle, in particular aboutthe longitudinal axis of the bearing body. Mopping pads that have a highcross-section, which are therefore more unstable during use than moppingpads that have a low cross-section and that tend to tilt, would bedifficult to control without damping the movement of the bearing bodyrelative to the handle. The cleaning results would be negativelyaffected by this.

The wringing device can be provided with a coupling for receiving anexchangeable scouring body. The coupling and the scouring body fixedthereto can be positioned at an angle of essentially 90° to the moppingpad. The scouring body can comprise different materials. Thus, forinstance, it is possible for the scouring body to comprise a sponge thatis more abrasive than the mopping pad. In accordance with anotherembodiment, the scouring body can include bristles that comprise apolymer or elastomer material, wherein a combination of the aforesaidembodiments/materials can make sense, depending on the application. Thecombination of mopping pad and scouring body is particularlyadvantageous when the surfaces to be cleaned are heavily soiled andwould be difficult to clean with just the mopping pad. In such a casethe user would first use the scouring body to loosen the heavy soilagefrom the surface to be cleaned in order to then pick up and remove theloosened soilage using the mopping pad. These processes could beaccomplished with one and the same squeeze mop.

On their sides axially facing one another the pressure arms can haveguide grooves running axially toward the handle that can each be causedto engage with a guide cam of the respective squeeze plate duringwringing. Due to the embodiment and arrangement of the guide grooves andguide cams, it is possible to wring out the mopping pad without theparts that run into one another tilting and jamming. In addition, thesqueeze plates and the double joint orient themselves largelyperpendicular to the handle, regardless of what angle they previouslyformed relative to the handle, before the squeeze plates are pulledbetween the pressure arms of the wringing device by actuating the gripby means of the actuating rod; manual orientation prior to the wringingprocess is therefore not necessary.

If the two squeeze plates attached to the double joint are long, it isadvantageous to ensure reinforced pressure on the pressure arms in thearea of the ends of the squeeze plates that face away from the doublejoint in order to obtain a mopping pad that has been wrung out well evenin the area of the ends. For this it can be provided that each squeezeplate has on its side facing away from the mopping pad a ramp that risesin height outward from the double joint in the longitudinal direction ofthe bearing body for gradually increasing the pressing force during thewringing process. With such a ramp, the user can decide individuallywhether the mopping pad should be wrung out more or less. When neededthe mopping pad is also wrung out well on the side facing away from thedouble joint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

One exemplary embodiment of the inventive squeeze mop is explained ingreater detail in the following using FIGS. 1 through 13.

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of the inventive squeeze mop;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged depiction of the mop head from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts the mop head from FIG. 2 from behind;

FIG. 4 depicts the mop head from FIG. 2 with the scouring body removed;

FIG. 5 depicts the bearing body, without mopping pad, from below;

FIG. 6 depicts the bearing body from FIG. 5, with actuated wringingdevice during initiation of the wringing process;

FIG. 7 is a section through the wringing device during proper use of thesqueeze mop;

FIG. 8 is a section corresponding to FIG. 7 with a guide cam of asqueeze plate, which guide cam is moved upward in the guide groove ofthe pressure arm during the wringing process;

FIGS. 9 through 13 depict the wringing process in chronologicalsequence.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

One exemplary embodiment of the inventive squeeze mop is depicted inFIG. 1 and in FIGS. 2 through 13. The squeeze mop includes a bearingbody 1 that is made of a polymer material and that comprises a centrallyarranged double joint 2, one squeeze plate 3, 4 being attached in thelongitudinal direction 5 of the bearing body 1 on each side of thedouble joint 2. The double joint 2 and the two squeeze plates 3, 4 arejoined to one another such that when the wringing device 8 is actuatedboth of the squeeze plates 3, 4 can fold downward relative to the doublejoint 2. On its side facing axially away from the handle 6 the bearingbody 1 has a single-part mopping pad 7 that is the same size as thebearing body 1 and that is embodied as a sponge. Instead of thesingle-part mopping pad 7 depicted here, it is possible to use amulti-part mopping pad, for instance a two-part mopping pad, each partthen being the size of one squeeze plate 3, 4. One pressure arm 9, 10 ofthe wringing device 8, which is fork-shaped and is open on the sidefacing away from the handle, acts on each squeeze plate 3, 4. Thewringing device 8 is joined location-fast to the handle 6, the handle 6being joined, pivotable about the longitudinal axis 5 of the bearingbody 1, to the double joint 2.

The connection between the handle on which the wringing device 8 isarranged and the bearing body 1 is attained using an actuating rod 11that can be moved axially toward the handle 6. The actuating rod 11 isjoined at one end face to the double joint 2 and at the other end faceto the grip 12 that is attached to the handle 6 location-fast butpivotable. The wringing device 8 is actuated using the grip 12. Usingsuch a design the wringing device 8 can be handled simply and with noproblem, even if the user's hands and/or the grip 12 are wet and/ordripping.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, 4 through 6, and 9 through 13, with theexception of its end face ends in the area of the double joint 2 and thegrip 12, the actuating rod 11 runs in the interior of the handle 6 sothat the actuating rod is protected from undesired external influencesand damage that might result therefrom. On their p. 1 facing away fromthe mopping pad 7 the squeeze plates 3, 4 can have a ramp 22, 23 thatrises in height outward from the double joint 2 in the longitudinaldirection 5 of the bearing body 1 for gradually increasing the pressingforce during the wringing process.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged depiction of the mopping pad from FIG. 1. Providedon the wringing device 8, which comprises a polymer material, is acoupling 15 for receiving an exchangeable scouring body 16, the coupling15 and the scouring body 16 being joined to one another in a press-fitand/or force fit. Preferably a force-fit join is used, for instance inthe form of a dovetail. In this manner a used scouring body 16 can beremoved from the coupling 15 as needed with the application of a smallamount of force and can be replaced with a new scouring body 16. Thescouring body 16 is arranged at a 90° angle 17 to the mopping pad 7. Thecombination of mopping pad 7 and scouring body 16 combined in a squeezemop is particularly advantageous when the scouring body 16 is first usedto loosen heavy soilage from the surface to be cleaned and this loosenedsoilage is then picked up by the mopping pad 7 and then removed. Thescouring body 16 includes a plurality of bristles in the exampledepicted here.

FIG. 3 depicts the mop head in FIG. 2 from behind. In the exemplaryembodiment depicted, the mopping pad 7 is attached to the bearing body 1using a hook-and-loop closure 24 that joins the mopping pad 7 to the twosqueeze plates 3, 4. In comparison to the depiction in FIG. 2, thehandle 6 in FIG. 3 is inclined to the rear about the longitudinal axis 5of the bearing body 1.

The mop head from FIG. 2 is depicted in FIG. 4 with the scouring body 16removed. The coupling 15 has a dovetail shape.

FIGS. 5 and 6 each depict views of the bearing body 1 from below withoutthe mopping pad 7. It can be seen that the two squeeze plates 3, 4 areeach joined to the double joint 2 by means of a spring 13, 14 and can bepressed against one another against the spring force of the springs 13,14 when the wringing device 8 is actuated. The springs 13, 14 areembodied as hairpin springs and, due to their arrangement, also causethe movement of the handle 6 about the longitudinal axis 5 of thebearing body 1 to be “damped”. This clearly reduces undesired anddifficult to control tilting movements of the bearing body 1 relative tothe handle 6 so that handling of the squeeze mop is significantlyimproved overall, in particular when the mopping pad 7 has a highcross-section and is therefore very flexible overall.

FIGS. 7 and 8 depict sections of the operational status in accordancewith FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 7 the guide cams 20, 21 of the squeezeplates 3, 4 are positioned in the guide grooves 18, 19 in the lowerarea. The pressure arms 9, 10 of the wringing device 8 are inclined tothe vertical and are in the position that the squeeze mop normallyassumes when cleaning planar surfaces. Because of the flattened areas25, 26 of the guide cams 20, 21 and the flattened insertion inclines 27,28 of the guide grooves 18, 19, there can be no undesired displacement.In FIG. 8 the wringing device 8 is moved, together with its pressurearms 9, 10, into the vertical, relative to the bearing body 1, forwringing out the mopping pad 7. The guide cams 20, 21 move into theguide grooves 18, 19 during the wringing process.

FIGS. 9 through 13 depict the wringing process in a chronologicalsequence, the mopping pad 7 and the scrubbing body 16 not being depictedin order to facilitate understanding. FIG. 9 depicts the inventivesqueeze mop during proper use when cleaning flat surfaces. The squeezeplates 3, 4 and the double joint 2 are in one plane.

In FIG. 10 the grip 12 (see FIG. 1) is pivoted upward about a joint thatis joined location-fast to the handle 6. While the grip 12 is pivotedupward, the actuating rod 11 that is joined axially on the one hand tothe grip 12 and axially on the other hand to the double joint 2 alsomoves upward, thereby moving the double joint 2 with it, the squeezeplates 3, 4 being bent downward relative thereto and the guide cams 20,21 of the squeeze plates 3, 4 moving into the guide grooves 18, 19 ofthe pressure arms 9, 10 of the wringing device 8.

In FIGS. 11 through 13 the grip 12 is pulled further and further upwarduntil the squeeze plates 3, 4 reach the position depicted in FIG. 13relative to the wringing device 8. If the squeeze plates 3, 4 wereprovided with a mopping pad 7, it would now be wrung out.

Then the lever 12 depicted in FIG. 1 is returned to the positiondepicted in FIG. 1, the squeeze plates 3, 4 and the double joint 2returning from the position in accordance with FIG. 13 to the positionsdepicted in accordance with FIGS. 12 through 10 and finally to theposition depicted in FIG. 9.

1. Squeeze mop, including a bearing body that is formed by a doublejoint and two squeeze plates that are arranged on either side of saiddouble joint in the longitudinal direction of said bearing body and thatare joined thereto, and a handle, said bearing body having on the sidethat faces axially away from said handle a mopping pad that is largelythe size of said bearing body and said squeeze plates being pressableagainst one another by means of a wringing device, said wringing devicebeing fork-shaped and embodied open on the side facing axially away fromsaid handle and including two pressure arms that are arranged largelyparallel to one another and that for folding said squeeze plates can becaused to engage with said squeeze plates about said double joint, saidwringing device being joined to the handle and said handle beingpivotably joined to said double joint, at least about said longitudinalaxis of said bearing body, wherein said wringing device has an actuatingrod that is axially movable toward said handle and that is joined at oneend face to said double joint and at the other end face to a pivotablegrip that is attached location-fast to said handle for actuating saidwringing device.
 2. Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 3, wherein saidactuating rod runs largely in said handle.
 3. Squeeze mop in accordancewith claim 1, wherein handle is joined to said double joint in acardanically movable manner.
 4. Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 1,wherein said squeeze plates are each joined to said double joint bymeans of a spring and can be pressable against one another against thespring force of said springs when said wringing device is actuated. 5.Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 4, wherein said springs areembodied as hairpin springs.
 6. Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 1,wherein said wringing device is provided with a coupling for receivingan exchangeable scouring body.
 7. Squeeze mop in accordance with claim6, wherein said coupling and said the scouring body fixable thereto canbe positioned at an angle of essentially 90° to said mopping pad. 8.Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 1, wherein on their sides axiallyfacing one another said pressure arms can each have a guide grooverunning axially toward said handle that can be caused to engage with aguide cam of the respective squeeze plate when the mopping pad is beingwrung out.
 9. Squeeze mop in accordance with claim 1, wherein each saidsqueeze plate has on its side facing away from said mopping pad a rampthat rises in height outward from said double joint in said longitudinaldirection of said bearing body for gradually increasing the pressingforce during the wringing process.